


What Is Home?

by Choccyghost



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, M/M, Osamu miya is a secret softie, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Physical Abuse, Smut, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:39:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29427540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Choccyghost/pseuds/Choccyghost
Summary: 2 years past graduation, and his life is everything he hadn't imagined it to be. Will he survive or will it be too late for him?
Relationships: Miya Osamu/Yamaguchi Tadashi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 8
Kudos: 46





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The archive warnings don't apply for this chapter, but will later. I'll put a note in the beginning when it does!

His brand new shoes were muddied and dirty as he ran past the street, the rain pouring down heavily on him. He rushed blindly, with people shouting curses at him as he pushed through the narrow footpath. But he barely heard them over the screams of his own body telling him to stop, the agonizing pain threatening to swallow him whole. He could only hope he was taking the right turns. 

He had to be.

" _You are so weak, it's funny."_

No.. no...Why won't it stop?

" _Fight? You can't even raise a finger against me."_

He knew. He knew too well. The voice sent a shiver over his already drenched body as he nearly tripped. He knew no one was following him- then why did it feel like he'd die if he stopped?

" _You have nowhere to go."_

He clutched his side with an agonized gasp as he took the final turn, his vision darkening with every step. Just a bit more.

" _You can't do it."_

He bit his lip hard. 2 more steps. And yet so far. He wanted to drop down, right there.

" _I feel safe here."_ This time, his own voice, low yet hopeful played in his head. Yes...he eyed the dim light glowing through the bottom of the doorframe. With everything he had, he lunged forward, his body weight pushing the door open as he fell on his face. The cool air from the AC gently ruffled the top of his head as he felt relief wash over him. It'll all stop now. The confused voices following the shocked silence distorted into the background as he struggled to keep his eyes open with the last ember of energy he had left. 

"TADASHI!" 

The edges of his mouth slowly curved to a smile as he heard footsteps rushing towards him. He was dimly aware of the hoodie slipping off from his head as a pair of hands held his limp figure. So strong...

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT? CALL THE FUCKIN' AMBULANCE!" 

Yamaguchi raised his eyes at the blur of silver hair and the panicked array of faces behind it. "H-hey."

He let out a feeble cough as he heard a panicked voice shouting the address into the phone. 

"Hey."

Yamaguchi's vision cleared, just for a second, and he looked back in wonder at the eyes as gray as the clouds above. "Samu...Am I-"

"It's okay. You are okay," Osamu replied gently, his voice devoid of the anger it had a minute ago.

Yamaguchi gave a slight nod before his head lolled back and everything went dark.


	2. A Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did things end up this way?  
> Let's rewind a bit!  
> 

**2 years back, Hinata's send-off**

"We all really graduated, huh?" Yachi said in wonder.

"Yep. Even those two," Yamaguchi chuckled, raising his glass to Hinata and Kageyama who were arguing over a piece of cake.

"I'll miss all five of us hanging together," Yachi smiled wistfully. 

"I see this more as an opportunity for some peace and quietness," Tsukishima huffed. His fingers lightly brushed against Yamaguchi's and the other smiled, wrapping his little finger around his. Yachi pretended to not notice, suddenly becoming interested in the tablecloth. 

As if on cue, Hinata and Kageyama made their way towards the three huddled in a corner. "Hey you guys made it! God, I'll miss this place!" Hinata exclaimed, looking around at Ukai's shop in wonder and recalling all the times they had stopped here after practice with growling tummies. 

"You have said that 5 times already," Kageyama muttered but everyone could tell the insult was half-hearted. 

"You'll soon be busy with Brazil's exotic cafes to miss this," Yamaguchi added consolingly. Hinata was going off to Brazil to hone his skills with beach volleyball in 3 days, and they had decided to hold a surprise sendoff party for him. Despite the last minute notice, many of their close friends from other schools had come there too to cheer up the tangerine who was already missing his home. 

Tsukishima was about to say something when he caught the eye of Kuroo and Bokuto waving at him across the hall. He excused himself and walked towards his seniors after asking Yamaguchi to save him if he doesn't return in 5 minutes. 

"I just realized," Hinata said, staring at the ceiling. "That this is the last time any of us will meet in Miyagi. Yamaguchi, you and Tsukishima are moving to the same university in Tokyo aren't you? And Kageyama will move over there for training too."

Yamaguchi shook his head. "Not the same university. But yeah we will be renting an apartment together." A faint blush spread across his cheeks as he thought about living with Tsukishima. He miserably tried at hiding it and failed, and all three looked at him with mischievous smiles. 

"Tokyo, huh?" Kageyama asked, surprised. "I thought you were going to the one in Miyagi you kept telling us about."

"Oh I was planning to, since it was closer to home," Yamaguchi said. "But then Tsukishima told me about this university and it's so much better."

"Are you sure you aren't just following Tsukishima?" Kageyama asked bluntly. Hinata hissed, elbowing him in the ribs. "What kind of question was that?"

"No. No!" Yamaguchi laughed awkwardly. "He just mentioned it-" 

"We believe you!" Hinata cut him off with a hug. "Do your best, alright? And don't hesitate hit that giraffe on the head if he gets too salty."

Yamaguchi returned the hug. "Haha thanks. Though I don't think I will. I'll miss you, Hinata.."

"Hinata. Kenma's calling you," Tsukishima appeared behind him and glanced down at them. Yamaguchi looked up in time to see a fleeting change of expression in Tsukishima's face before it settled back to the bored expression he always had on. Huh? He probably had imagined it. 

Yamaguchi was still doubting if he saw anything as he watched Hinata go off to talk to Kenma while Kageyama trailed behind him. 

"Hey you want to step outside for a while?" Tsukishima asked, entwining his fingers with his. Yamaguchi broke out of his stupor at the gesture, surprised. Although they had started dating since third-year at Karasuno had begun, Tsukishima had been less open to showing their relationship publicly , and only Hinata, Kageyama and Yachi knew about them, and that too because they had found out accidentally. He turned to excuse himself from Yachi but she was already talking to someone else. "Okay," Yamaguchi agreed, his chest swelling with affection as Tsukishima led him out. So what if he changed places just for Tsukishima? He'd do anything for him. Not that he was changing colleges for him; but he'd be lying if Tsukishima wasn't a major factor for his decision. 

"Your face is too red," Tsukishima chided. "And all I did was hold your hand."

"I just didn't expect it," Yamaguchi said, looking away. 

There was a brief silence as they stood silently next to each other, enjoying the pleasant breeze. "Hey Yamaguchi," Tsukishima said. 

"Yeah?" He tilted his head up sideways at the tall blond. Tsukishima had touched 193 cm recently and the height difference between them was quite significant. 

"You ever had a crush on Hinata?" 

Yamaguchi turned around completely in surprise. "What? Where did that come from?" 

Tsukishima shrugged. "You two did become close over the last 3 years." Despite dating for almost a year, Yamaguchi still found it difficult to read his expression at times and this was one of them. 

"No!" Yamaguchi chuckled incredulously. "Hinata is like my crazy best friend. I have never felt anything of that sort towards him. In fact, Tsuki... you are the first.." He faltered, staring at his shoes. 

Tsukishima looked over, a smile breaking through the blank expression. He stepped closer, raising Yamaguchi's chin up, golden-brown eyes meeting hazel.

"First.. and last," he whispered. Yamaguchi had barely recovered from hearing him say that when Tsukishima leaned in for a kiss, sending electrifying waves all through his body. What with the third year exams and the graduation, they barely had gotten any alone time. Tsukishima's tongue grazed his teeth, asking for a deeper kiss and just then-

"Oi."

Both of them broke apart slowly to see Kageyama behind the door. 

"Can you save that for later?" Kageyama deadpanned. "The party's nearly over and Hinata wants everyone inside." With that, he turned away. 

Tsukishima muttered something about timing under his breath as Yamaguchi grinned and pulled his hand, leading them both back into the small shop. It was the happiest he had felt in a while. 

**4 Months After Joining College**

Yamaguchi frowned, highlighting a sentence on the huge textbook propped in front of him. No matter how many times he had gone through this part, he still wasn't confident on the topic. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he copied down another question. The exam was in another 14 hours and Yamaguchi could sense the anxiety creeping up on him. 

He heard the door open and shut. "I'm back," Tsukishima called, settling his bag on the couch. 

Yamaguchi briefly turned back with a smile. "Hey, how was practice?" 

Tsukishima shrugged, coming up next to him. Unlike Yamaguchi, Tsukishima had chosen to continue playing the sport. "Nothing out of the usual. How's the revision going?"

"Bad," Yamaguchi said, frantically scribbling on his book again. "Whatever confidence I had is gone." 

Tsukishima said nothing but wrapped his arms around Yamaguchi's neck from behind and rested his face on his head. He kissed the top of Yamaguchi's hair before moving to his ear, gently nibbling on it. 

Yamaguchi smiled as his writing slowed down. "That tickles!" 

"Mmhmm," Tsukishima moved to his jawline while turning Yamaguchi's chair towards him. Yamaguchi put his hands on Tsukishima's chest as their lips brushed against each other lightly before Tsukishima pushed his tongue in, deepening the kiss. His hands moved towards the hem of Yamguchi's shirt as he tried to pull it off. Yamaguchi broke the kiss, pushing Tsukishima away gently. "Not now. I have to study." 

"But I really want to. The day was so boring." Tsukishima nuzzled his face against Yamaguchi's shoulder. 

"Sorry Tsukki," Yamaguchi said, ruffling his hair. "But I'm really scared about this test."

Tsukishima dropped his hands from Yamaguchi's shirt, leaning past him to look at the book. He flipped a few pages, doing a quick scan. "Haven't you been through this many times already?" 

Yamaguchi cast a worried glance at the huge book. "But I still haven't quite got the hang of it. And I need to go over the whole thing one more time too...." 

Tsukishima cupped Yamaguchi's face in his hands. "You have the test tomorrow morning, yeah?"

Yamaguchi gave a slight nod. "At 9AM ." 

Tsukishima's eyes flicked to the alarm clock on the bedside table. "It's 7:20PM now. Means you have got approximately 13 hours before the test." 

"Yeah but-" 

"You'll be fine. I'll help you go through the stuff tomorrow early morning tomorrow. Besides, you need to relax a bit. You can read everything once before sleeping too" Tsukishima said, fixating on his eyes mesmerizingly. 

Yamaguchi still looked unconvinced. "I- I wanted to put the morning away for checking the highlighted parts." 

Tsukishima dropped his hands again, a flash of hurt passing on his face before it returned to the blank state. "Okay. Do you need water or anything?"

Yamaguchi looked at the retreating figure, suddenly feeling guilty. "Tsukki I-"

Tsukishima waved his hand with a smile. "It's fine. You get back to it."

"Umm, alright," Yamaguchi turned back to his book getting back to the question. 

"It's just," Tsukishima's voice came back. "You have been so busy recently. And I missed you. I thought it'd be fine if we complete the revision together tomorrow, you know? But maybe you don't trust me to study with you anymore." Tsukishima looked back at a surprised Yamaguchi. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No. No!" Yamaguchi stood up from his chair, and walked towards Tsukishima, hugging him. "It's nothing like that. You could never hurt me."

"You don't have to lie, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima continued in the same sad tone. "You have been distant lately and barely spend time with me." 

"What even made you think that?" Yamaguchi asked in shock. Exams had only begun recently, and things before that had been proceeding as usual. But all he was feeling at the moment was to make Tsukishima feel better. " _I'm_ sorry for making you feel that way. In fact, I," Yamaguchi glanced back at the books, hesitating. He looked back into Tsukishima's gaze, smiling. "Alright. I'll go through the rest tomorrow."

"Really? You sure?" Tsukishima's eyes perked up brightly. 

"Yeah," Yamaguchi gave a final nod, suppressing the lingering worry about the exams inside him. 

Tsukishima wasted no time, immediately picking him up and putting him on the bed. They were kissing again, pausing only to remove clothing off each other. Tsukishima pinned Yamaguchi's hands above his head while moving down to kiss his chest and suck on his nipples. Yamaguchi let out a soft moan as he felt a bulge on his boxers. Tsukishima smirked, feeling the erection between his thighs. He undid Yamaguchi's boxers, throwing it away on the floor as he continued laying kisses on his body while stroking Yamaguchi's length. Yamaguchi bit his lip, partly from pleasure, and partly from the increasing pressure on his wrists as Tsukishima tightened the hold. 

"Ow," he winced slightly and Tsukishima glanced from his face to his hands, immediately loosening his hand. 

"Sorry, sorry," he paused, caressing and kissing Yamaguchi's wrists which were slightly reddening. "Shit, sorry."

"Hey, it's okay. You didn't mean to, right?" Yamaguchi asked and gave a light laugh. Tsukishima gave his wrists one last kiss before opening the side drawer and closing it with lube and a condom in his hand. 

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi called as he watched Tsukishima pour lube on his fingers. "Go easy on me, alright? I have a test tomorrow."

Tsukishima smiled. "Alright. But forget about it for now, okay?" 

Yamaguchi had barely nodded before Tsukishima teased his opening with his finger. As time passed, Yamaguchi couldn't help but get lost in the sensation and everything else faded away into the background as Tsukishima's thrusts gained momentum. He wondered what the time was as he and Tsukishima laid next to each other, breathless. But what from studying all day and the sex, Yamaguchi felt his eyes closing and his resolve to do a reading before sleeping weakened away. 

The next morning, Yamaguchi was back on the table. He muttered the formulas to himself while absent-mindedly rubbing his wrists. The scene from the previous night flashed through his mind again, and he felt a bit puzzled. It was almost as if Tsukishima had _forgotten_ his earlier request to go easy right after he had said it. He shook himself mentally; Tsukishima had gotten carried away accidentally, and that was it. Just then, his cell phone buzzed breaking through his thoughts. He shifted slightly in his chair before picking the video call up; his body was still a bit sore from the night. 

"Hey Yachi. Good morning!" Yamaguchi set the phone on the table so that Yachi could see him clearly. 

"Hey Yamaguchi! Just called to wish you luck for the test!" Yachi waved at him. 

"Ah thank you," he looked back to the book. "I'm real tensed about this one."

"You said you'd cover everything by night, didn't you? You'll be fine," Yachi said supportively. 

"Well I almost did but then me and Tsukki-" he smiled awkwardly at the screen. 

"Yamaguchi,"Yachi looked sternly at him. "Living together shouldn't affect your tests."

"It's fine," Yamaguchi said dismissively. " He said he'll revise with me early morning to make up for it."

"Yamaguchi-kun, you have 30 minutes before you have to leave," Yachi said, eyebrows raised. "And I don't see anyone standing behind you." 

Yamaguchi smiled sheepishly. "He ended up snoozing his alarms. And I didn't want to waste another moment on studying so..."

Just then, Tsukishima came up behind him stretching. "Hey. You too," he added, noticing Yachi on the screen. 

He was saved from Yachi's wrath as someone called her from behind. She gave a tiny wave. "Ah so I'll have to go now. I'll leave you two to it. Do well, Yamaguchi!" 

There was a click as the call disconnected and Tsukishima kissed his cheek. "Sorry I'm late. Let's go through the notes quickly, okay?"

Yamaguchi decided to be pissed at Tsukishima later as the two went over the rest of the pages quickly. 

As he headed to his college after stuffing a piece of bread in his mouth, he couldn't help but think of the previous day amidst running the notes in his head. Yamaguchi smiled to himself. True, he ended up losing time but erasing the frown on Tsukishima's face had been worth it. He sighed happily despite the panic rising inside him. 

Yamaguchi loved how his life was going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fresh start....though is it?  
> Thanks to @silvermoonwulf for helping me!  
> Osamu will arrive soon :)


	3. A Chance Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW// Slight mention of domestic violence

**A month after Yamaguchi's exams**

" _Hi, this is Hinata Shoyo! Please leave a message or call back later!"_

Yamaguchi sighed and hung up. Ever since heading off to Brazil, Hinata had been difficult to get hold of. Which was expected, as he had a hectic schedule. But still, Yamaguchi hadn't thought it'd be this bad. And the huge time-difference didn't make it any easier. His thumb scrolled through his contacts, and hovered above Yachi's number. The girl now had her hands full with college and working part-time at her mother's design company. Deciding not to disturb her, he pocketed his phone. At the moment, he couldn't help but feel really lonely. He had drifted apart from others who lived in Miyagi. Yamaguchi wondered if he should have joined the party his college friends had invited him to after all; he had cancelled after hearing that Tsukishima didn't have practice and hence would be home early that day. Tsukishima had offered to spend the extra time watching Netflix, and to Yamaguchi cuddling on bed while watching his favorite series sounded better than having to socialize in a party. 

Speaking of who, he checked his watch, tapping his foot anxiously. It was getting late, and Tsukishima had promised to pick him up from the park near his college. He was refreshing his messages when his stomach grumbled. Yamaguchi had skipped lunch, deciding to spend the extra time by hanging in the library. He looked up hopefully as he heard a low ding. 

_Sorry, got held up. I'll be there in 30 minutes._

Yamaguchi stared at the text, disappointment and hunger pooling in his stomach. He couldn't possibly sit another 30 minutes without eating. 

_Okay. Text me when you reach here. I'm really hungry, so I'll grab a bite nearby._

Left on seen. Taking that as a yes, he stood up stretching his hands and looked around. It's been a few months since he came to Tokyo, and he was yet to really explore the place. He was so deep in thought about the various landmarks his college friends had mentioned that he didn't realize he had walked 2 streets left. Yamaguchi stopped in the footpath, embarrassed. He looked back and nodded to himself-he hadn't walked that far from the park. His tummy gave out another rumble and he looked up at the building he had stopped in front of, noticing an onigiri symbol. "Perfect," he thought, entering the restaurant relieved. 

Yamaguchi seated himself at the farthest booth in the corner and gave the menu a quick glance. A shadow fell on the table and Yamaguchi looked up to see a young ginger-haired boy with hands fiddling with his apron. The waiter didn't look much older than himself; maybe he was working part time? That must be exhausting. Yamaguchi made a mental note to give extra tip later. 

Yamaguchi gave him a tired smile. "Hey. I'd like some Tuna Mayo please."

The waiter opened his mouth to say something, before shutting it and giving a slight nod. "Anything else?" 

"Just water," Yamaguchi said, and the boy scampered away. He leaned back on the seat, setting his bag aside. He rubbed his temples lightly; he could feel a headache building. Maybe they could catch up on netflix another day; it was already late anyway. Yamaguchi noticed that it was a small restaurant, but tidy and surprisingly uncluttered at the same time. 

The ginger-head wrapped his loose apron back and stood inside the kitchen, molding the rice balls when he felt a presence behind him. He gulped. 

"Chiko. Don't tell me you are trying to smuggle onigiri to home again." 

The teen turned back and shook his head profusely at the slightly pissed chef behind him. "No! I'd never do that after what happened last time!" He gave a slight shudder at the memory. "It's just there's a customer remaining," he paused. "Osamu-san."

Osamu ran his hand through his hair, frustrated. He absolutely loved cooking, but he absolutely _detested_ people who came right before closing time. "Chiko," he said exasperatedly. "I told ya not to entertain customers who come 20 minutes before the closing time."

"I know," Chiko said. "But-"

"Chiko, people who don't respect our timings don't deserve shit," Osamu paused, frowning. "Wait, you had gotten over that issue. What happened this time?"

Chiko bumped his index fingers together. "He seemed too nice."

Osamu pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't understand how the kid could be both trouble and a softie at the same time. "Know what? I'll finish up. Go home. Your mother will _end_ me if ya leave late again."

Chiko opened his mouth to argue but closed it on seeing the tired yet pissed expression on Osamu's face. He raised his hand in a mock salute. "Right, sir. Don't stay up too late!"

Osamu glowered and Chiko ran away from his grasp to the bathroom, chuckling. He sighed, looking at the nearly finished tuna mayo on the platform. And he had just changed out of his apron to his casuals. He screwed his face; nah, he was having none of it. He wasn't going to entertain some stupid random past his work-time. Osamu walked out of the kitchen eyeing the near-empty place and nodded as he saw a fellow-chef wave at him and leave. Couldn't the last person _see_ the place was near empty? He stopped before the last table and saw exactly why; the (college?) boy was leaning back on the chair, eyes shut. _Great, now I have to wake him up too, apparently._ Wait- where had he seen him before?

"Karauno pinch server," Osamu said, surprised ,as his memory clicked before he could stop himself. 

Yamaguchi's eyes flew open and he looked around in a daze, wondering where he was. He _may_ have fallen asleep. He looked in alarm at the nearly empty place. Had the place closed? Yamaguchi looked at the guy in front of him to ask about it- and ended up gaping. There was no way.... "M-miya Osamu?" 

"In the flesh," Osamu muttered. Now that the surprise had worn off, he could feel the annoyance build inside him again. He was tired, and wanted to go home. "Can't ya see-"

Yamaguchi suddenly got up, shocking him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" He bowed twice, panicking. "I was so hungry and I didn't have lunch today and I didn't see the closing time at all, but now I do, and I fell asleep too, I'm sorry, I understand if the kitchen is closed-"

"Oi, calm down," Osamu interrupted the anguished flow. Yamaguchi's panic was radiating off him and reaching onto him. "Take a breather, geez. I'm not going to arrest ya."

Yamaguchi took a deep breath before bowing again. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to cause inconvenience. I'll leave right now." 

Osamu watched , taken aback as he watched Yamaguchi picking up his bag and finish the glass of water. He had been expecting a tantrum or a typical "you should be grateful for the extra money"- but the apology seemed genuine besides he really did look tired. He let out a long sigh. Was he really doing this? 

"Sit back down," Osamu huffed. 

"What? No, it's fine. I sh-"

"Sit down," Osamu repeated again, rubbing his forehead. "It's nearly finished. And I'd hate to waste food. So sit back down," he said, before turning back to the kitchen.

Yamaguchi hesitated. But his stomach gave another huge growl and he found himself collapsing on the chair again. He rubbed his cheeks, which were still flushed with embarrassment. His eyes fell on the top of the menu and he groaned at the "Onigiri Miya" at the top of the menu. How in the hell hadn't he noticed? The Miya twin probably thought Yamaguchi was mocking him by staying overtime _and_ being surprised to see him on the top of it. 

"Stop that and finish this quickly," Osamu said, nudging his elbow with the plate. "Why did ya skip lunch though?"

Yamaguchi looked embarrassed. "I was at the uh-library. Honestly my exam results weren't as good as I expected... so I spend extra time with books."

"All that studying won't mean shit if ya don't eat well," Osamu said sternly. "And overworking yourself isn't going to help either." 

He doesn't hold back, does he? Yamaguchi thought weakly, but nodded .

Yamaguchi took his hands off his face to see his order in front of him and honestly, the smell was delicious. "Thank you," he said, before taking a bite. His eyes widened. It was, without doubt, the best onigiri he had had till date. "This is- it's just- amazing," Yamaguchi said, his voice muffled as he took more bites quicker. 

"Yeah, I know. Be quick, I need to give this place a last check," Osamu said, his voice curt but Yamaguchi didn't see the small smile tugging at the edge of his lips. 

Osamu returned soon, a bag slung over his shoulder to find Yamaguchi halfway done with the food. "Hey, when I said 'be quick' I didn't mean give yourself a stroke. I'm not dealing with your choking ass." 

Yamaguchi said something that sounded like 'sorry'. He paused, gulping down a bite. "Why don't you sit, Osamu-san?" He asked, before taking the next rice-ball and starting on it. He was too hungry to be anxious or scared of the twin anymore.

Osamu raised a brow, but sat down anyway. They did know each other anyway; kind of. 

"So," Osamu said. "Yamaguchi-kun isn't it? I had no idea ya were in Tokyo."

Yamaguchi nearly choked on his food; his name in Osamu's quiet voice sounded like.. something else. "I'm surprised you remember. I got admission in a college here. It's just two streets away."

"You mean Kenai University?" Osamu asked after a pause and Yamaguchi nodded in confirmation. "Oh that's nearby," he paused. "And of course I remember ya. Can't forget the no-touch aces you kept pulling off at the nationals," Osamu said , recalling the matches." It hasn't been that long."

"T-thanks," Yamaguchi stuttered. Never had he imagined he'd get a compliment from one of the miya twins. "You stopped playing, right?"

"Yeah, obviously," Osamu narrowed his eyes. If Yamaguchi gave him another one of those "why give up volleyball for onigiri" speeches like most had, he swore he was going to snap-

"That's great really," Yamaguchi said brightly, not sensing the dark aura radiating off Osamu. "You are happier now."

"Huh?" Osamu asked, surprised.

"I mean back then, you played really well but you never looked too happy or sad after winning or losing. But now even though you are tired, you look satisfied," Yamaguchi said drinking water which Osamu had refilled. _And I'm blabbering again_ _to a person I just met._ Yamaguchi wanted to kick himself. 

"That's a keen eye you have," Osamu said, half teasing. But he felt something inside him relax all the same.

"Yeah but it was probably because Atsumu-san was really competitive. Not that you weren't,. It's just the reactions between you and him were clearly different." Yamaguchi added hurriedly. "I mean- he was-" 

"A volleyball idiot," Osamu finished, giving a small laugh. Yamaguchi realized he hadn't really seen him laughing much; it was low and pleasant, different from Atsumu's loud laugh which could be heard 2 rooms away. He zoned back into the conversation quickly "....Hinata Oikawa and Atsumu are a different kind of obsessed with the sport. But I can't say it doesn't make me proud watching him play now. Though I'll never say that to his egoistic ass."

Yamaguchi smiled in response. "Yeah he-" 

He stopped as he felt his cellphone buzz. Yamaguchi looked apologetically at him before picking it up. "Hey-"

"Where are you?" Tsukishima's voice cut across. 

"Tsuki, I'm at the onigiri shop which is two lefts away from the park. Sorry, I was too hungry," Yamaguchi added. 

"Heading over right now." 

Yamaguchi hung up, and got back to eating the last parts. 

"Is half of Karasuno here or what?" Osamu asked, having caught onto Tsukishima's name. Not long ago had Kageyama Tobio dropped in to eat at his place. 

"No it's just me Tsuki and Kageyama," Yamaguchi laughed. "Tsukki's at a different college and Kageyama's training." 

Just then the door opened, and Tsukishima stepped in, hesitatingly. 

Yamaguchi waved at him. "Here, Tsuki!"

"Yamaguchi. This place had a 'closed' sign but it was the only onigiri place in this street-oh," Tsukishima paused as he saw Miya Osamu. "Osamu-san." 

Osamu nodded in acknowledgement. "Tsukishima-kun." 

Tsukishima's eyes flicked between him and Yamaguchi sitting across to each other on the table briefly before he settled down on the same seat beside Yamaguchi. "Aren't you a cook here, Osamu-san?" 

"Yeah," Osamu replied. "Did you too not notice the name of the restaurant when you entered?" 

"Oh I did. Just noticed you sitting so..." Tsukishima trailed off. 

"Yamaguchi-kun here was the one who asked me to sit. Anyway, your point?" Osamu asked, eyebrows raised. 

The air was suddenly thick with tension for a second before Tsukishima gave a smile. "Sorry, Osamu-san. I didn't mean offence. You in casuals without an apron just sitting at a customer table took me by surprise. I forgot we all knew each other for a moment." 

Osamu could have sensed the fake smile and the condescending tone underneath the apparently-normal words a mile away. He didn't know what Tsukishima's deal was- probably disrespect for his job- or maybe he just didn't like him for some weird reason. He didn't really care; but he felt the irritated agaun. Osamu glanced at Yamaguchi's plate. "Finished? I'll take the plate. Wash your hands, I'm going to lock the place up." 

Osamu left the table, and Yamaguchi soon returned after washing his hands. 

"Why are you the only customer here?" Tsukishima asked as yamaguchi sat back down. 

"I didn't notice it was past closing hours," Yamaguchi said sheepishly. "But Osamu-san was kind enough to let me finish off since I was hungry. What took you so long?" Yamaguchi asked reproachfully while taking money off his pockets. 

"Told you I got held up, didn't I?" Tsukishima said curtly.

Yamaguchi glanced sideways, surprised at the coldness in Tsukishima's voice. His eyes had a glint in them and suddenly Yamaguchi felt a bit- scared? But what had he done? He was going to ask him about it when Osamu was back, with his keys. They both stood up, Tsukishima unexpectedly wrapping his arm around Yamaguchi's waist as he handed over the money. Yamaguchi felt a slight relief; maybe Tsukishima wasn't mad after all. 

"Thanks for not kicking me out," Yamaguchi said again, apologetically. Was he imagining it or was Tsukishima's hand pressing against his side more firmly than usual? 

Osamu counted it with a slight frown. "There's extra here."

"Yeah I wanted to tip that young waiter. He seemed like a student working part time. And I know how stressful it is, so I-" There was no doubt about it, Tsukishima's grip was definitely tightening around his waist. "-wanted to give it, " he finished. He didn't understand what was going on at all.

Fortunately, Osamu didn't seem to have noticed the slight pause and put the money in one of the drawers with a smile. "You mean Chiko. He's my mother's friend's son. Chiko was fascinated watching me work and he offered himself as a part-timer. He's just in his second year, and honestly a brat. But not all bad." 

Yamaguchi listened with a smile plastered on his face. Tsukishima's nails were now digging into his shirt- and it hurt like hell. Suddenly he wanted to get out of the place as soon as he could. "Tsukki, shall we leave?" he asked, looking up with a small smile, a secret plead to stop. Tsukishima's expression was unreadable as he gave a slight nod. He stopped increasing the pressure, but didn't let go either. It was all Yamaguchi could do to not wince in front of Osamu. Thankfully, he barely spared them a glance before giving a dismissive wave. Yamaguchi heard Osamu get on his bike and drive away before he removed Tsukishima's hand , stepping away from his hold. "What was that?" 

"What was what?" Tsukishima asked, seemingly unaware. 

"Tsukki," Yamaguchi stood on the sidewalk, watching Tsukishima get into the driver's seat. "That hurt."

"Get in, Yamaguchi," was all Tsukishima said. And so he did, not wanting to attract the stares of the passer-bys. 

Tsukishima drummed his fingers on the wheel as Yamaguchi stared out of the window, pointedly ignoring him and sighed. " Look, I don't know- when I saw you sitting with him alone in the restaurant, I felt weird." 

"Tsuki, I'm meeting him for the first time after our last match. And he really did me a favor by letting me eat even though it was past his time," Yamaguchi said, attempting to reason with him. 

"So? What's the big deal in that? It's just extra money for him. It looked like you two were pretty cozy from outside. Maybe he has a thing for you," Tsukishima finished dryly. 

"Tsuki, what the fuck? That doesn't make sense at all. I asked him to sit, because he looked tired from the shift!" Yamaguchi replied incredulously. 

"Are you calling me delusional?" Tsukishima asked quietly. His voice was low with a silent threat in it, and Yamaguchi felt a weird chill. 

"No. Of course not. I'm just saying, it really hurt me," Yamaguchi said, attempting to calm him down. 

Tsukishima sighed again, reaching across to take Yamaguchi's hand and kissing it. "I didn't mean to. I just got a bit jealous, because it appeared like he was already close with you."

Yamaguchi hesitatingly relaxed his hand in Tsukishima's hold. He didn't seem angry anymore. Though he still couldn't understand fully what had pissed Tsukishima off in the first place. "It's okay, Tsukki. Watch it next time please?"

Tsukishima nodded. "We'll watch a rom-com of your choice on netflix to make up for it, alright?" 

Yamaguchi smiled at the words and the softness in his tone. Tsukishima absolutely hated rom-coms, so him offering to watch one with him must mean he really was sorry- even though he hadn't actually apologized. Tsukishima would never intentionally hurt him. "If you fall asleep in between, I'll hit your head."

Everything was normal for the rest of the car-ride, and they reached home soon after that. Yamaguchi's smile faded a bit when he noticed a newly formed bruise on his hip; Tsukishima's grip had left its mark again, along with the red patches here and there on his chest. But those were entirely different, just Tsukishima going accidentally too rough on him during sex. He quickly changed out of his clothes to avoid thinking of it. Everyone got a bit carried away at times.

But however much he tried, he couldn't help still feeling haunted about what had happened. Yamaguchi noticed Tsukishima sleeping peacefully next to him and quietly got up, taking his phone. He went to the balcony, admiring the calmness of the night. The wind was cold. Yamaguchi lightly touched his face and realized that it was wet. He didn't want to think about why he was crying. He hesitated before taking out his phone and dialing a number and felt relief flooding through him when his call was picked up.

"Hey."

"Yamaguchi, hey!" Hinata's cheerful voice cut across. "I'm sorry I didn't take the call before! I trained extra today."

"That's alright," Yamaguchi sniffed. He smiled reassuringly before realizing Hinata couldn't see him. 

"Yamaguchi? Are you alright?" Hinata's asked, concern evident. "And why are you calling at 2am anyway?" 

Yamaguchi wiped his nose. "No I- I'll be fine. I just wanted to talk to someone." 

"Oh. Okay," Hinata was quiet for a second. "Did something happen?"

"Yes but it isn't a big deal. I'm alright," Yamaguchi changed his tone to a more cheerful one. "Anyway, tell me what's going on with you?"

"Hmm," Hinata hesitated. He decided not to push Yamaguchi into talking for the moment. "Ah so, I think I'm getting the hang of jump serves now!" 

Yamaguchi listened to Hinata's rambling about beach volleyball, his funny encounters and ended up laughing along with him. After a while, he yawned, suddenly feeling sleepy. "Hey Hinata, I think I'll sleep now." 

"Yeah you should! I need to get going too," Hinata replied. 

"Goodnight. No, good afternoon to you, I guess," Yamaguchi said, chuckling. 

"Yeah. Hey Yamaguchi?" Hinata called hesitatingly. "You know you can talk to me right? I may not pick up immediately but I'll always call back, you know?"

"I know. Thanks," Yamaguchi said softly. "I'll go now."

Hinata stared at the disconnected call with a slight frown. Yamaguchi hadn't sounded like himself at all. He made a mental note to himself to ask Yachi about it later; Kageyama probably didn't have a clue about anything. 

Yamaguchi got back into his bed silently, looking at Tsukishima's relaxed face as the moonlight fell on it. He smiled fondly- they have known each other since they were kids, and he had a lot of memories with him. He thought about Tsukishima standing up for him in front of bullies, about the way his face had lit up when Yamaguchi had given him a dinosaur toy, or simply about the way Tsukishima smiled genuinely when he was with Yamaguchi. He couldn't believe he had considered Tsukishima hurting him purposefully- he could never do that. He snuggled closer to the taller guy who mumbled something before laying a sleepy hand around his back, and Yamaguchi fell asleep quick.

Some streets away, Osamu's eyes lingered on the light casted by the streetlamps on his ceiling. An image of Yamaguchi's quick gaze to Tsukishima and the blond's hand on the other's hip flashed though his mind. He wondered what it was; there had been something weird about the whole thing. But he hadn't really gotten a chance to look longer. Osamu rolled over, closing his eyes. He had probably imagined it, and even if there was something, it was none of his business. And with that thought, he too, drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just would like to say @silvermoonwulf saved this chapter with her tips😭. I owe you big time!  
> See everyone next chapter ig!


	4. Fresh Air

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super light hearted chapter, this one!

"Can you get milk while returning?" Tsukishima asked while scanning the refrigerator. 

Yamaguchi hummed, making his coffee. "Yeah sure. Why not?" 

Tsukishima came up behind him, wrapping his hands around Yamaguchi's waist and leaning against his back. He gave a surprised gasp as Tsukishima raised him to the kitchen counter before kissing him on the lips. A few days had passed since that night at the onigiri place, and now everything seemed back to normal, as if nothing had happened in the first place. And Tsukishima showed no hints of being the person who left the fading bruise on his hip and Yamaguchi found himself sleeping in peace again. They broke apart after a good minute and Yamaguchi closed his eyes as Tsukishima brushed a few loose hair-strands off his face. Tsukishima's hand paused on his cheek. "Your freckles are prominent again."

Yamaguchi's eyes flew open as he felt the other side of his cheek wonderingly. "Really?"

Tsukishima chuckled. "Yeah, almost exactly as they used to be in junior high." His hands slid down, resting on his hip. "And you have lost weight too. You should eat more." 

"I know," Yamaguchi looked flushed. Tsukishima gave him a light pat on his shoulder before heading off to get ready for college. He sat there for a second, before jumping off the counter and preparing a quick breakfast, his hands feeling his face absent-mindedly every now and then. He had a quick shower too and changed, before stopping to stare at the mirror in his room. He peered at his reflection, his finger tracing over the light brown spots below his eyes. Tsukishima had said junior high... were they really? He had a vivid flashback of being on the ground while 3 other kids jeered at him, specifically mocking over the freckles. Yeah, junior high hadn't been that great. His eyes trailed down, watching the reflection as his hands tugged the edges of his shirt. Yeah, Tsukishima was right.. his shirt was hanging a bit loosely around his frame. Probably the result of skipping all those lunches to bury his nose inside books. He sighed; not doing well during the first tests had rocked his confidence a bit, and his anxiety had acted up again.

"Yamaguchi, your pants aren't going to magically make their way up."

He looked up at the mirror, startled, to see Tsukishima standing behind him leaning on the doorframe. How long had he been lost in thoughts? "I- sorry, Tsukki," he said, hurriedly pulling up the pants. Tsukishima snorted, heading over. "Don't tell me you are self-conscious about those again."

Yamaguchi shook his head slightly. "I'm not." 

"Hmm, sure," Tsukishima said sarcastically. He got up, edging closer to Yamaguchi and closing the distance between them. "Listen, those may not look the best. But I _still_ love you, you know." 

Yamaguchi looked from Tsukishima's face to the mirror, his mind lingering on the emphasis he had put on 'still'. How bad were the freckles though? Tsukishima wouldn't mention them if they weren't. "Stare anymore and you'll poke holes in the mirror," Tsukishima huffed, heading out. "I'm going to eat."

Yamaguchi hurried up, slinging the bag on his shoulder as he took a last glance at the mirror. Tsukishima was right.. he did look kinda hideous right now. But Tsukishima didn't hate him for it. He remembered Tsukishima's smooth spotless skin and his sleek hair ruefully. And there was him. He felt grateful that Tsukishima never poked fun at him despite that. He left the room, muttering a quick sorry under his breath. 

The day went by as usual and he stepped into a store on the way home, feeling more tired than usual. Not that he had been doing anything exhilarating at all. He yawned, getting ready to stop by the counter when a flash of red passed sideways followed by a loud crash. Yamaguchi jumped, turning around to see a boy lying face-down on the floor with his items scattered around him. He hurried forward, crouching down and peering anxiously at the boy's head. "Are you alright?"

The boy was unresponsive for a second before getting up with a dramatic sigh. "I hate life." 

"Can't say I disagree," Yamaguchi said, picking up the items nearest to him. He wondered if he had seen the guy somewhere.

The boy scratched his hair, looking around the mess before fixating on Yamaguchi. "Hey tha-" he yelped. 

"What? Are you hurt?" Yamaguchi asked, alarmed. 

"No! I know you," he said excitedly. "You are the guy who didn't get kicked out!" 

"Huh?" Yamaguchi looked shocked at the explanation before his head cleared; that youngster from the onigiri hotel. "Oh.. righht.." He faltered. What was the name Osamu had told him again?

"I remember because I got the tip you had left," he continued on excitedly. "No one has tipped me before you know! And oh, I'm Chiko! Hanzare Chiko!" He said, pointing to his own face. 

"Glad," Yamaguchi laughed. "I'm Yamaguchi Tadashi."

"Erm," the store worker cleared his throat as stood at the end of the aisle. "Can you please not have your reunion on the floor? You are blocking the way." 

Both of them got up embarrassed, putting all the items in Chiko's cart quickly. They headed to the counter when Chiko grabbed his arm and talked in a hushed voice. "Listen, you gotta help me. Osamu-san told me to buy him few stuff for the restaurant and I completely forgot about it and I have now," he quickly checked his watch. "30 minutes to get all these things back _and_ arrange them if I want to stay alive. There's no way I can buy the rest and arrange it myself in time."

"Why not any other chef-friends?" Yamaguchi whispered back. "And you don't even know me!" 

"They're on duty right now! And hey, I thought we became friends!" 

"Like 3 minutes ago!"

"So?"

"I could be a serial killer!"

"Are you?"

"What? No! But that's not-"

"See? Come on, I need this, I'll make you a free onigiri."

"Fine," Yamaguchi said, caving in. It's not like he had any plans later anyway. "Why are we whispering?"

"I don't know," Chiko whispered again. "Anyway, come with me to another shop." 

And before Yamaguchi knew it, he was rushing with the ginger in and out of another shop after which they went around the restaurant to the back. "Wait here," Chiko said as he slid through the back of the shop, and Yamaguchi could hardly believe he was crouching behind the shop with ongiri stuff around him during after-hours; again. Chiko, taking some of the bags and Yamaguchi followed, taking up the rest. 

Chiko looked apologetically at Yamaguchi. " Ah they have cleared up the place and left. I'm sorry about that. And thank you. I hope I didn't ruin any plans?"

"Nah, it's fine. Do you always shop for him? " Yamaguchi asked, looking around the place.

"Haha not at all. But the company that usually provides the stuff had some issue this weekend, and I offered to do the shopping- which I forgot to," Chiko rubbed his head, embarrassed. "Anyway, I understand if you have to go. I can uh, manage to arrange most of it by the time he comes back."

"Comes back? Scared of him aren't you?" Yamaguchi asked teasingly.

"Oh yeah, he had to leave briefly to drop his brother at the airport. Asked me to arrange all of it by the time he returns. And he sure can be scary, but I don't ever wanna let him down, you know?" Chiko said, with a faraway look in his eyes and Yamaguchi wondered if there was more to the story. However, he had a feeling that was a story for another time. He simply opened a bag and said, "Just tell me what goes where. Besides," Yamaguchi grinned. "You owe me an onigiri, remember?" 

Chiko returned a relieved grin, and soon both of them got to work. Yamaguchi was surprised to note that despite his chaotic nature, Chiko was actually quite efficient when it came to work, and knew precisely where each item was kept. 

"Ah that's almost it," Chiko said, wiping off his sweat. "I think we'll be done before he arrives."

"Before who arrives?" A third voice asked, and both Chiko and Yamaguchi paused, turning their heads slowly. Osamu stood on the door in his casuals, with keys in his hands- and damn, he looked good. Despite not playing anymore, Osamu still was as fit as his brother was. "They are so similar...yet so different," Yamaguchi thought, staring at him. 

"And you," Osamu shifted his gaze from Chiko to him. " Trying to make a record of being at my shop after hours, are ya?" 

Yamaguchi stared back at him for a second, speechless for some reason. Fortunately, Chiko came to his rescue at once, getting up and stretching his arms out at Osamu. "Ah Osamu-saan, the best chef and my favorite in the world!"

Osamu screwed his face. "Okay. What have you done this time?" 

"Be the best part-timer ever?" Chiko asked, wiggling his arms. 

"You absolutely forgot about restocking the place, didn't you," Osamu deadpanned. "And let me guess, found this guy you have met literally once to finish up before I came back." 

"Oh him?" Chiko put an arm around Yamaguchi's neck as the other gave a yelp. "He's my best friend now." 

"Dropped off an idiot at the airport, to find another one in my kitchen," Osamu muttered, rubbing his forehead. Yamaguchi wasn't sure if he was referring to him or Chiko; he probably meant both. "Anyway, are ya done?" 

"Just finished, actually," Chiko said brightly, hiding a sauce behind his back as he edged not-so-subtly near the cupboard. 

"Ah I'll get going then?" Yamaguchi asked awkwardly. 

"No! I promised you onigiri, you are going to get one!" Chiko said firmly. 

"I can just come back lat-"

"Make two," Osamu said, interrupting him. "Let me see if ya have gotten any better at it. You, let's go outside and leave this idiot to hopefully not burn the kitchen."

Yamaguchi gave a half wave to Chiko's indignant face before following Osamu out of the kitchen. They both headed to the same table they hand ended up sitting at during last time. Yamaguchi looked anywhere but at Osamu who still looked kind of pissed. 

"Do I want to know the story?" Osamu finally asked, arms crossed over his chest. 

And so Yamaguchi narrated bumping into Chiko at the shop and what followed. "So you probably didn't like me entering your kitchen without your permission. But my plan was to help him and leave soon, if that makes you feel any better," he finished apologetically. 

Osamu stared at him pissed for a few more seconds before sighing. "I would be mad, but you two did end up doing a good job at it. Why did you choose to go along with him though?" 

Yamaguchi shrugged. "I don't honestly know? He just had that kind of energy. And it was fun. Plus, I get a free onigiri. Not that I asked for it, he said it himself!" He added hurriedly. 

"Yeah I believe ya," Osamu gave a one-sided smile and Yamaguchi found himself wishing Osamu smiled more often. "Actually, the whole shop story? I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't know Chiko. He decides by instinct, either he trusts you or doesn't. The kid's a walking disaster. Sometimes I wonder if he's a mini version of 'Tsumu." 

"I'm glad," Yamaguchi said, trying not to feel too happy about the gingerhead choosing to trust him. "And Oh , Chiko mentioned you dropped Atsumu-san off at the airport," Yamaguchi said. 

"Hmm? Yeah. Suggested that he take a vacation myself, and his team supported me on it," Osamu said, looking out at the street half lost in thought. "He has been over-working himself recently after a bad breakup. Thought it'd be a good idea for the dumbass to relax a bit." 

Yamaguchi noticed the way Osamu's eyes had softened under the dim light into a pleasant gray and the undercurrent of worry under his words. "He'll be alright soon," he said comfortingly.

Osamu looked back blankly, as if just realizing he had said all that aloud. "Oi, you aren't going to reveal all that to the press are ya? He has enough speculations surrounding him right now."

"No, I won't! It's none of my business either!" Yamaguchi said, wondering anxiously if he had convinced him. The idea hadn't even occurred to him. 

Osamu surveyed his face suspiciously for a moment before giving in. "You do seem too meek to actually do that. Anyway, forget I said anything," he added, and watched as Yamaguchi nodded. He wasn't usually one to talk about personal stuff to anyone, let alone someone he had properly talked to once before. He must be tired, Osamu concluded. 

"So what are the other black crows upto?" Osamu asked, changing the topic and watched as Yamaguchi's shoulders relax again as he talked about his ex teammates. But that's just it, Osamu thought as he found himself talking and smiling along with Yamaguchi. It felt more like catching up with an old friend rather than someone he had caught a few glances of at a high school match and once in his restaurant. "And what about Chibi-chan?" 

"Oh I didn't tell you? He-" 

Just then, Chiko pushed the door open with his shoulder and brought in three onigiris, having chosen to make one free for himself. Osamu grunted but let it slide. The air was filled with light chatter for the next few minutes as they all finished off the food, everyone extra hungry for different reasons. 

"Chiko," Osamu called, after wiping his mouth with a tissue. "Are you any prepared for the tests?" 

Chiko groaned." No. Mom is going to kill me," he said, putting his face in his hands. He suddenly looked up at Yamaguchi, startling him." W-what?"

"You are in college aren't you? And you were in grade 3 in school? Perfect!" Chiko stood up excitedly. " You could help me with math. The numbers fly over my head." 

"Chiko, you already dragged him to help you today. And you have met him literally twice," Osamu reminded him, exasperated. He really couldn't believe the kid sometimes. He watched as Chiko stuck his tongue out at him and turned to Yamaguchi again. "Please? I'll pay you!" 

"Uh no," Yamaguchi said, watching Chiko's face fall. "I mean, you don't have to pay me. I won't mind, but I'm not really an expert or anything." 

"Oh I'm pretty sure you are good," Chiko said cheerfully. "So where, your place? Mine?" 

"Neither," Osamu interrupted, irritated. "I don't trust either of you in this thing right now. And I want to see this guy pass for once. So just," Osamu said the next few words as though they were causing him exceptional pain. "One hour after your shift ends. You two do whatever while I clear the place up. Nothing unusual for you, since you arrive after hours anyway." 

"Hey, this time is exempted," Yamaguchi said, blushing. 

"Anyway," Osamu continued smoothly, biting back a smile at Yamaguchi's embarrassed face. "That'll be it. That way you can go home and revise it later again, which you should," he said, staring pointedly at Chiko. The youngster thought about it for a second before giving a huge thumbs-up. "Fine by me! Ah I gotta go now. See you tomorrow!" Chiko said, after hearing his phone buzzing. 

"If you fail again, you are on bathroom duty for a week!" Osamu called after him. He looked back at Yamaguchi. "Don't you have to leave too? Did ya tell your jealous boyfriend you'll be late?" 

"He isn't that bad," Yamaguchi said, flustered. "But no, he texted me earlier saying he had extra practice and will be home late so I guess I'll reach at the same time if I leave now."

Osamu nodded. "Alright then. Umm," he hesitated. "Are you going to ask Chiko for money in return for helping him?" 

"Huh? No I didn't plan to..." Yamaguchi admitted. 

"He will want to do something in return for ya anyway," Osamu sighed. "I know this is weird to ask, but please try accepting less money if he does give anything. He has some issues in his family. I'd teach him myself but I really suck at math."

"Oh... alright. I erm enjoy math so it's fun for me. But I'll try to avoid the payment thing without making it obvious that you told me," Yamaguchi said, even though he had no idea what to do about it right now. 

Osamu nodded gratefully and waved him goodbye as he left. He stared after the retreating figure for a minute before he proceeded to give the place a last check and lock it. It had been a long day. 

Yamaguchi returned home soon, reaching just a few minutes before Tsukishima did. They both kept their bags aside before settling on the couch, with Yamaguchi resting his head on Tsukishima's lap. Tsukishima's fingers stroked Yamaguchi's hair while he surfed the tv channels with his free hand, automatically out of habit. It was silent for a while and Yamaguchi was nearly asleep when Tsukishima finally settled on a movie. "Why were you home late?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the tv screen. 

Yamaguchi sighed, before he recounted everything that happened in the shop and what followed for the second time. He looked up at Tsukishima wearily after he was finished for any signs of the anger he had shown the last time. Tsukishima's eyes were still glued to the screen, almost as if he hadn't paid much attention at all. Yamaguchi's heartbeat sped up a little as he shifted his gaze to the television; Tsukishima hadn't said anything. Yamaguchi wondered why he was worried about it; Tsukishima had told him it was merely him getting carried away after a frustrating day, nothing more. And he had believed it, as everything had shifted back to normal after that. However he couldn't help but tense up against his will as he felt Tsukishima's fingers massaging his head with a bit more force than before- and stopped.

"Seems like a bratty kid, that," Tsukishima said lazily, stifling his yawn. 

"Yeah... I mean, not really," Yamaguchi said, looking back at Tsukishima's face carefully checking for any sign of anger. He felt himself relax again not finding any; however, Tsukishima had stopped stroking his hair. 

"Eh whatever. The money will help with the rent," Tsukishima checked his watch. "You know, I have some work for tomorrow. Are you going to watch the movie?" 

"Tsuki, stay for a while more," Yamaguchi nuzzled his head on Tsukishima's lap. He decided not to mention that he wasn't planning to take money from Chiko to Tsukishima for reasons unknown to himself. He was just relieved Tsukishima wasn't pissed. 

"Can't really."

Yamaguchi pouted, opening his mouth to remind him about the last time he had procrastinated on studies to spend time with Tsukishima, however stopped as he felt Tsukishima's fingers lingered on Yamaguchi's freckles for a second before he got up. "Lower the volume though. " 

Yamaguchi heard the room to his door shut, and looked back at the screen, not really paying attention. He didn't see the point of lowering the volume when Tsukishima studied with music playing on his headphones anyway. His fingers were on his freckles again, his light mood fading away slowly. He hadn't been self-conscious about them since high school ended- but he couldn't stop himself from wondering if he had chatted with Osamu and Chiko looking a mess. His college friends hadn't said anything to him; maybe they were just being nice? Yamaguchi sighed as he tried not to overthink it, but failing. Tsukishima hadn't said anything, but the gaze he had given before getting up felt puzzling. He didn't really mind, did he? After all, people had stopped teasing him about his freckles and lean figure _because_ Tsukishima was with him. 

Yamaguchi forced himself to get up, switching off the television and propping up his book on the table. His eyes were on the pages, but his mind ended up shifting between his physique, helping Chiko, Tsukishima and somewhat on Osamu's smile. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really want to adopt Chiko 😭  
> Sorry for the late update! Also this chapter may seem boring, but I swear it's important for the future ones and a few details from this may come up later too. Cheers!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW// Slight domestic violence

The next 2-3 months passed with a pleasant normality. Yamaguchi's life was like a typical University student's- stressed with tests and projects, but fun all the same. Except there was a slight change now. The Miya Onigiri was a frequent stop for him on the way home. Chiko had ended up passing the last test with above average marks and he had asked Yamaguchi's help again for the next one. And the next. Till it became a frequent habit of theirs to meet post Chiko's and Osamu's work hours. Osamu surprisingly had adjusted to it after the first few times. "You get something into his thick skull and I get to sit and relax. Fine by me," he had said.

It had been surprisingly easy for them both to get along with each other after the initial hesitation.

"Chiko," Yamaguchi said now, half sternly. "You messed up the calculations. Again."

"How ya do this three times a week, I have no idea," Osamu snorted as he wiped a glass clean before placing it back on the shelf. That was the arrangement; he'd drop by late during mondays wednesdays and fridays, and the other days he went home early, spending the extra time with Tsukishima. 

"He actually would do really great if he fixes his carelessness though," Yamaguchi grinned , watching Chiko strike out the whole page with a groan. 

"That's like sayin a person would be a good player if he fixes his receives," Osamu said, taking off his apron and sitting down next to them.

"That's scarily accurate," Yamaguchi agreed. "I bet he's a messy receiver too."

"Hell yeah."

"Sometimes I think you two actually like ganging up on me," Chiko scowled. 

"Maybe we are," Yamaguchi said and Chiko looked at him with mock betrayal. Osamu smiled, his fingertips resting on his chin. It was at this time that his shoulders relaxed and his exhaustion started wearing off. Osamu first impression of Yamaguchi was a meek and awkward guy. But he had been pleasantly surprised with Yamaguchi's unexpectedly good sense of humor. Osamu found that the guy had in fact had a certain appeal to him that made you want to listen. Well he _had_ ended up being the Karasuno captain at his third year. And as he watched Chiko listening aptly to Yamaguchi's words, he understood why. He wasn't sure how much he had improved in the basic plays, but he certainly did have a few leadership qualities. 

"I think that's enough for today," Yamaguchi said and Chiko let out a dramatic whoop. 

"You are overreacting," Osamu muttered. Chiko ignored him and rushed straight back to the kitchen. 

"I really wish he wouldn't do that," Yamaguchi sighed. "But I don't want him to stop either."

As Osamu had predicted, Chiko had wanted to do something for him in return for his help in studies. Yamaguchi had convinced him with difficulty not to pay him, and they had finally agreed on another settlement.

On days Yamaguchi helped him, he'd make him an onigiri for free. 

"That means he's getting better at it. I'm glad," Osamu yawned, getting up. "Let's pack up then?"

Yamaguchi nodded, shutting the books. It had become a habit of his to help Osamu give the place a last check and lock it. Osamu had asked him not to but Yamaguchi couldn't sit still while someone else was moving around so he started helping him instead of waiting awkwardly at the door. Meanwhile Chiko shut all the cabinets in the kitchen after wrapping up Yamaguchi's onigiri for him to eat on the way.

"Osamu-san! I cleared up the kitchen. We are ready to go!" Chiko grinned, showing a thumbs up.

"Ah alright," Osamu rubbed the nape of his neck. Yamaguchi who had come up behind up, wondered if there was something bothering the guy. He had slowly learnt that though Osamu was difficult to read, he did have certain habits that gave away his thoughts. Like now, how he rubbed the back of his neck when he was bothered by something. Or how he smiled fondly at Chiko when the boy wasn't looking. The way he would raise one of his eyebrows when someone was starting to anger him. The way his eyes softened when he talked about Atsumu even though his rambling was filled with insults for the twin. All equally endearing. 

Yamaguchi smiled. He had made a good decision then. "Osamu-san!" 

"Hmm? What?" Osamu took off his apron and ran his fingers through his hair. Another habit of his- Osamu _always_ messes with his hair when he was tired. And Yamaguchi enviously admitted that he pulled off the disheveled look too well. 

Yamaguchi handed him a box from his bag. "Surprise!"

Chiko jumped over curiously. "What is it?" 

"Don't make me drop it, idiot," Osamu turned away from Chiko who peeped over his shoulder as he curiously opened the lid. He gaped. 

"COOKIES!" Chiko whooped, munching on one immediately. 

Osamu picked one and surveyed it, still surprised. "You made this?" 

"Well yeah. I noticed Wednesdays are extra busy for you and plus the middle of the week always sucks.... So I thought I'd do something. Yachi posted some pictures so I videocalled her and she helped me make it. I mean, the chef cooks for everyone but who cooks for the chef? Though making cookies is not exactly cooking. And this is my first time," Yamaguchi said anxiously. "And I'm rambling again-"

He stopped as Osamu bit on a cookie slowly, apprehensively watching his expression. Osamu's eyes widened and the corners of his mouth turned up as he took a bigger bite. "Dis really your first batch?"

"I know it could have been better-"

"NO. THESE ARE THE BEST!" Chiko yelled, snatching one from Osamu's hand and immediately rewarded with a smack on his head. 

"Thanks," Osamu said softly. His mouth was curved into a small but genuine smile and Yamaguchi felt like burning the first 2 batches and taking up one hour to clean the kitchen had been worth it. He wondered if Tsukishima had eaten the ones he had secretly sneaked into his bag too. Lost in thought, he didn't notice Osamu's eyes linger on him a moment more before he turned away and swatted on Chiko's head again. "Do that again and you'll be on cleaning duty for a week." 

"I'm not your punching bag!" 

Yamaguchi grinned at the sight of them bickering and gave a small wave before walking away. 

Back home, Osamu was sprawled on his couch with his head resting on his hand. He held one cookie up with the other hand, staring at it. His chef brain told him that it was a bit too sweet and the chocolate could have blended in better. But the other half of his head was still in awe and shock at the surprising gesture. A funny feeling, which he was certain had nothing to do with the cookies arose in his stomach again as he remembered Yamaguchi handing over the box with a nervous smile. He ate the last piece in his hand and turned over. 

"Ah shit," he whispered and groaned into the couch. 

* * *

It turned out that Tsukishima had eaten one of his cookies . And handed the rest away to his friends.

"Stop sulking already," Tsukishima sighed. "It was good, just a bit too sweet. And you know I don't like too much sweetness."

"You could have eaten at least two," Yamaguchi huffed.

"Next time I'll eat all 12. Good?" Tsukishima chuckled. 

"11. I'll eat one, you can have the rest," Yamaguchi grinned. He could never be much angry at Tsukishima. He watched the vehicles whizz past them as the last rays of light faded away in the sky.

"Are you sure it's here?" Tsukishima asked, driving into the parking lot. 

"Yeah a friend of mine had his party here once so," Yamaguchi peered out of the car window. That was probably the last party he had gone to. He had ended up declining the next few offers either due to studies or to spend extra time with Tsukishima. 

"Right. Listen, you see Kuroo or Bokuto around me-"

"I pull you away with an excuse in 5 minutes. I know," Yamaguchi kissed his cheek. 

They walked inside, immediately surrounded by a babble of noises. People stood in groups, laughing over their wine glasses. Tsukishima wrinkled his nose. 

Yamaguchi jabbed his arm playfully. "30 minutes and we'll head back. It's weird how you can be so popular and yet hate socializing at the same time." 

Tsukishima was opening his mouth to reply when a third voice came up behind them. "Heyyy look who it is! Being a middle blocker doesn't apply to blocking entrances, you know."

Kuroo Tetsoru stood, grinning at them. Behind him, Kenma stood with his hands in pockets and looking away as uninterested as ever. "Hey," he muttered. 

"Kuroo-san. I see your hair won't budge even for parties," Tsukishima smirked. Kuroo's hairstyle hadn't changed a bit.

"Uh. I'm going away before I get second hand embarrassment," Kenma walked away as Kuroo continued with another comeback in protest. 

"We'd better follow him and congratulate the happy couple," Tsukishima said dryly, eyeing the commotion in the middle. 

"Aha," Kuroo grinned, taking out his phone. "This is going to be fun." 

The four made their way to the center of the room where Bokuto had his arm slung around a flushed Akashi. 

"......And then," Bokuto laughed, hiccuping. "And then AKashi with tears in his eyes, said yes!!!" 

"Bokuto-san. That's enough for today, don't you think?" Akashi looked like he was ready for the ground to swallow him up as he firmly took away the champagne from Bokuto's hand. 

"I'm drunk in your love, Akaashiiiii!" Bokuto pressed a sloppy kiss on Akashi's forehead, who pressed his palms against his face, the ring glinting on his finger. Yamaguchi smiled at how happy they looked. He watched Kuroo, Tsukishima and Bokuto catch up. He knew no matter how annoyed Tsukishima pretended to be, he secretly did like and respect the other two seniors. He slipped away, searching for other familiar faces. 

After catching up with Daichi, Sugawara and Kiyoko, Yamaguchi sat down at an empty table. His fingers tapped on the wine glass, lowkey wishing Hinata or Yachi had been here so that he wouldn't be sitting alone. One was still in Brazil while the other couldn't attend as her mother was sick. He caught a flash of gray among the crowd. Could that be Osamu? He had entirely forgotten to ask him if he was invited...

Yamaguchi stood up, deciding to go see. He hadn't taken a step forward when someone bumped into him, spilling something on his shirt. He gasped as the waiter lunged forward, catching an empty glass just by the nick of time. Yamaguchi stretched an arm forward. "Hey you okay?" 

The waiter took his hand and got up ,flustered. "Yeah I-," His eyes widened in shock as he looked at the red stain on Yamaguchi's shirt. "Sir I'm really sorry, I was collecting glasses in a hurry, I didn't see you coming-"

"Hey it's alright," Yamaguchi said, embarrassed. "But walk carefully next time? You could get hurt." 

"Yeah of course. Wait I have a tissue somewhere," the waiter took a bunch out from his pocket . "Do you want me to-"

"No it's fine, I'll do it myself," Yamaguchi replied hastily, dabbing a tissue over the stain. However, now his shirt had a nice red blotch right in the middle. And he had left his jacket somewhere too, as it had been too hot. And he had forgotten all about it.

"Hey umm," Yamaguchi called to the waiter who looked near to tears. "I accidentally left my black jacket on one of the chairs here. Do you mind-"

"Of course not sir! I'll be back with it as soon as I can!" And with that, he disappeared into the crowd. Yamaguchi sighed, hoping no one would come talk to him right now. Just then, there was a tinkling sound and the crowd grew silent as Bokuto climbed on top of a table. 

"Ladies and gentlemen!" He roared. "I'd like to propose a toast to my boyfriend-no. _Fiance! "_

The crowd applauded as Akashi helplessly tugged on Bokuto's coat to step down. Yamaguchi smiled faintly. Just then, his shoulder was tapped. "Oh Tsuki you are back!"

"Hey. Let's slip away for a moment," Tsukishima said, holding his arm. "No one will see us."

"Are you sure- hey!" Yamaguchi didn't have time to protest as Tsukishima dragged him along. He threw a hurried glance behind; no one seemed to have noticed them. The dark blue lighting faded away as Tsukishima opened the door to the restroom. He quickly pulled Yamaguchi into one of the stalls and shut the door. 

Yamaguchi had barely said anything when Tsukishima pressed him against the wall and kissed him. He pinned Yamaguchi's hands on either sides as he bit on his bottom lip. His mouth parted open in surprise, letting Tsukishima's tongue to slip inside. He started kissing back, amused at the fact that Tsukishima of all people had wanted to sneak in a wild moment at a party. Maybe he'd tease him about it later.

However, his amusement wore off soon enough; he was starting to feel the lack of air. How long had they been at it? He tried pulling away, but to no avail as Tsukishima pressed on harder. It was now that he realized something was wrong; he tried freeing his hands . Tsukishima's grip simply grew tighter. Yamaguchi was completely immobilised. He gasped sharply, trying to talk. He really felt suffocated now, and the fact that there were in a small closed off area wasn't helping at all. 

"Stop!" Yamaguchi said hoarsely, finally managing to pull away. He stared at the top of Tsukishima's head as he arched his back, breathing hard.

"What the hell was that, Tsuki?" Yamaguchi asked, still out of breath.

Tsukishima remained quiet. Yamaguchi felt frustrated. "Well guess I will go then-"

"Eager to get back to the waiter?"

Yamaguchi froze. " _What?"_

Tsukishima looked up and Yamaguchi's heart skipped a beat. Tsukishima has had that effect on him countless of times. Those were out of love. This one was out of fear. Tsukishima's eyes stared back at him in cold fury. There was not a hint of warmth in his face as his mouth set into a hard line. 

"Tell me, Yamaguchi," Tsukishima said calmly. "Did you have fun flirting with him when my back was turned?" 

"I- he- it was nothing like that," Yamaguchi had no idea why he was stuttering. "He spilled a drink on me on my tshirt and he gave tissues-" 

"And that was it?" Tsukishima's eyes flicked over to the stain on his shirt. 

"Y-yes. There was nothing else, I swear-" 

"Then why," Tsukishima leaned in closer. "Do you sound so nervous?" 

"Because you- you are scaring me right now," Yamaguchi faltered. He could vaguely hear Bokuto's muffled voice, and the distant applause that followed. Everyone was still in the hall, and he recalled Tsukishima's earlier words in a completely different sense. _No one will see us._ His heart pounded heavily and he realized with panic that his hands were still in Tsukishima's grasp. 

"Really?" Tsukishima's grip tightened. "Well then convince me otherwise." 

"I was getting up ,we collided and he accidentally spilled. He offered to clear my stain I declined-" 

"That's low, Yamaguchi. Purposefully bumping into someone. That's exactly what it looked like ," Tsukishima snarled. His nails were digging in on his skin now.

"I didn't. I don't know why you feel that way. I- " Yamaguchi winced. He was sure the grip was blocking his blood-flow now. He suddenly realized no matter what he said, he wasn't going to win here.

"Tsuki, please. I-I'm sorry about everything. I love you," Yamaguchi looked pleadingly back at the taller blond. Something shifted in his eyes. But the grip was still as tight.

"Then next time walk more _carefully._ None of this would have happened in the first place if you had," Tsukishima said. 

"Yeah, I will," Yamaguchi whimpered as Tsukishima finally let go. He stared down in disgust. "Really? Crying after I got just a _little_ rough with you?" 

Yamaguchi hadn't even realized it. 

Tsukishima touched his cheek and Yamaguchi flinched. But the touch was gentle this time. Yamaguchi felt paralyzed as Tsukishima caressed his cheek. "It's alright. I'm not angry anymore, okay? Just avoid this in the future, hmm?" 

Yamaguchi gave a small nod, relieved at Tsukishima's soft voice. The voice reserved just for him...

There was suddenly another louder roar of applause followed by disorganized chatter. "Looks like his toast is over," Tsukishima cocked his head sideways. "Well, we'd better leave I think. Wipe your tears and meet me outside okay?" He ruffled his hair before stepping out. 

Yamaguchi's knees threatened to buckle and it was all he could do to not collapse on the floor. He broke down into silent sobs, with his back against the door. Why the hell did he have to bump into the waiter? He replayed the scene in his head, no longer sure about who had bumped into who. Had he seen the waiter coming? Could he have prevented it? Had he unconsciously let the waiter get too close? Tsukishima never said anything unless he knew it. He had known him for years.

He shakily opened the bathroom door, stepping out and turning on the water faucet. As he splashed water into his face, his resolve grew harder. Tsukishima had always known better. And he trusted him. That was more important than whatever happened. He'd apologize again. Yes. 

He was wiping his face when he paused mid-action in shock. His skin had reddened a lot and he could already feel the bruises that were slowly forming. He needed his jacket...

Just then the door creaked open and Yamaguchi pushed his hands deep inside his pockets. He turned around, plastering a smile on his face. 

Osamu looked up in surprise at the quick action. "Oh hey, Yamaguchi. I didn't know you'd be here too."

Yamaguchi's face relaxed on seeing Osamu. "Yeah. Me neither." 

Osamu looked at him puzzled. "Geez, ya look awfully pale. Everything alright?" 

"Huh? Of course. It's just the change of lighting. Everyone appeared pale to me too when I came in," Yamaguchi said in what he hoped was a bright voice. He needed to leave before Osamu noticed his red rimmed eyes too. "Well, I need to go. See you tomorrow? Yeah. Bye." 

"Yeah," Osamu narrowed his eyes as he watched him scurry out and Gin came in. He stared at him. 

"He was in an awful hurry wasn't he? Wonder where I have seen him. What are you looking at?" Gin asked, backing away at the intense stare. 

"Your face looks alright," Osamu said thoughtfully. 

"Umm. Thanks?" Gin squinted back at him. "Are you high?"

Osamu said nothing, wondering about why Yamaguchi had lied. And why his heart had skipped a beat when he had finally spotted him in the huge party. He barely paid attention to what Gin was saying as he walked back to the loud chatter. 

Meanwhile, Yamaguchi was already heading back home with Tsukishima, his jacket wrapped tightly around him. His head ached and Tsukishima offered to get takeout while heading back. Yamaguchi agreed. His head was whirling with confused thoughts and emotions. 

"Hey," Tsukishima said, eyes on road. "Don't think too much. I love you." 

Yamaguchi nodded, closing his eyes. This was the only thing that mattered. That's the way it has been for years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy it's been a while and I apologize. My mental health and work were sky-rocketing in the last 2 weeks. I really hope I managed to portray the emotions well in this chapter though. If it's any comfort, this chapter is slightly longer ig.  
> Anyway, have a good day y'all! And as always, thanks for reading <3!

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes you end up striking a connection with the most unlikely person.  
> Thanks for reading!


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